Happy New Year!
A whole, fresh new year to make your mark on the world.
What are your New Year's writing or illustrating resolutions?
No day without a line
What about the ancient Roman proverb (possibly from ancient Greek) "No day without a line"?
This is a motto for all writers and illustrators. Try not to let one day go by without writing or drawing something.
The prolific Anthony Trollope, whose literary reputation today is considerably better than during his own time, quoted this proverb in urging other writers to follow his example of everyday writing:
'It will not, I am sure, be thought that, in making my boast as to the quantity, I have endeavoured to lay claim to any literary excellence....But I do lay claim to ... persevering diligence in my profession. And I make the claim, not with a view to my own glory, but for the benefit of those who may read these pages, and when young may intend to follow the same career.
Nulla dies sine linea. Let that be their motto. And let their work be to them as is his common work to the common labourer. No gigantic efforts will then be necessary.
'He need tie no wet towels round his brow, nor sit for thirty hours at his desk without moving,—as men have sat, or said that they have sat. More than nine-tenths of my literary work has been done in the last twenty years, and during twelve of those years I followed another profession. I have never been a slave to this work, giving due time, if not more than due time, to the amusements I have loved. But I have been constant,—and constancy in labour will conquer all difficulties. Gutta cavat lapidem non vi, sed saepe cadendo.*'
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| *The drop of water hollows out the rock not by force but by falling often. |
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